British Cinematographer

British Cinematographer British Cinematographer is Europe's No.1 magazine covering the art and craft of international cinema

This flagship title is endorsed by the British Society of Cinematographers, the Guild of British Camera Technicians, and IMAGO - the Federation of European Cinematographic Societies whose combined membership are one the most influential in cinematography today. With powerful technological and economic forces driving the production industry like never before, cinematography is perhaps in the biggest state of flux for a 100 years. British Cinematographer – Europe’s No.1 cinematography magazine, with a growing worldwide audience – reflects the dynamism of the times. Encompassing the beauty of tradition, as well as the shock of the new, we focus on the art and craft of cinematographers, and the technologies they use during production and post production.

"I knew my greatest tool was going to be light. As always with cinematography, it makes or breaks a sequence, especially...
23/09/2026

"I knew my greatest tool was going to be light. As always with cinematography, it makes or breaks a sequence, especially in an environment as stark as the Himalayas, where attaining any foreground whatsoever is a real challenge."

Wildlife cinematographer Tom Hartwell explains how he captured some of his favourite shots of all time - focused on the elusive snow leopard - for ITV series Force of Nature.

Read more: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/tom-hartwell-force-of-nature/

Join us for a special event on 5 October at Framestore/Company 3 to celebrate the launch of CineVoices (formerly Cinegir...
23/09/2026

Join us for a special event on 5 October at Framestore/Company 3 to celebrate the launch of CineVoices (formerly Cinegirl) — a platform dedicated to building a more inclusive industry and celebrating the many voices, creatives and storytellers at the heart of the film and TV community!

Expect an inspiring day of thought-provoking panel discussions, engaging conversations, fresh perspectives and opportunities to connect with fellow industry professionals.

Find out more and RSVP now: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/panellists-and-sessions-revealed-for-cinevoices-launch-event/

"When director Lawrence Jacomelli first spoke to me about photographing Don’t See Me, what interested me was that many o...
22/09/2026

"When director Lawrence Jacomelli first spoke to me about photographing Don’t See Me, what interested me was that many of the fundamental visual decisions had already grown organically out of the material.

"Jacomelli wasn’t approaching cinematography as a layer that would be added afterwards. He had already begun constructing the physical and visual architecture of Maddy’s world through the direction and production design: a restricted frame, windows deliberately covered to prevent daylight entering the house, controlled areas of negative space around her, and two attic environments representing very different emotional states."

Cinematographer Andrew Butler chats collaborating with director Lawrence Jacomelli and writer Victoria Taylor to create the visual language of the British short film Don’t See Me.

Read more: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/andrew-butler-dont-see-me/

“We move to the rhythm of the sub-context. We are the unseen dance partner in every scene. A slow, creeping push-in is n...
22/09/2026

“We move to the rhythm of the sub-context. We are the unseen dance partner in every scene. A slow, creeping push-in is not just a change in focal distance; it becomes the physical manifestation of a realisation, a dawning horror, or an intimate confession. Maybe it’s a sudden, sweeping pull-out creating a sense of isolation. The grip dictates the tempo of the audience's heartbeat without ever stepping in front of the lens.”

Jamie Starr explains how dolly grips are masters of camera movement and emotional interpretation, sitting quietly right next to the operator to help and advise.

Read more: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/camera-movement-and-the-role-of-a-dolly-grip/

"The camerawork is purposefully rough. We utilised mixed shutter angles during the more intense shooting sequences, alon...
21/09/2026

"The camerawork is purposefully rough. We utilised mixed shutter angles during the more intense shooting sequences, along with mainly handheld, low-angle photography. The frame is full of micro-jitters, which was accomplished by throwing away a lot of grip equipment and keeping it very raw.

"This is one part stylistic choice and one part practicality. I was a one-man band running camera and sound on location, and I’ve only got two hands, so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to tell the story efficiently."

Deep in the Scottish countryside, armed only with a spring-powered r***e, a budding game hunter finds himself in a battle for survival when he crosses paths with a ruthless landowner who will stop at nothing to protect his territory. On our website, DP Ryan J. Smith explains how Springer: A Dangerous Game came together: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/ryan-j-smith-springer-a-dangerous-game/

"From the beginning, we kept returning to the American street films of the late 1960s and 1970s; Taxi Driver, The French...
20/09/2026

"From the beginning, we kept returning to the American street films of the late 1960s and 1970s; Taxi Driver, The French Connection and Bullitt. We weren’t interested in simply recreating the period. We wanted to understand why those images still feel so immediate and alluring today.

"There is a grit to those films, but what we kept responding to was something beyond grain or contrast. There is an observational quality to them. Characters exist inside actual environments rather than environments feeling designed around them. People cross foregrounds, headlights flare, faces disappear into darkness, and the city seems to carry on whether the camera is there or not."

Cinematographer John Matysiak explains how visual language "carried a huge amount of the storytelling" in action thriller Motor City.

Read more: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/john-matysiak-motor-city/

"Looking back on Green Grass, the most valuable lesson was how its specific demands opened up intriguing creative possib...
19/09/2026

"Looking back on Green Grass, the most valuable lesson was how its specific demands opened up intriguing creative possibilities. BSL challenged some of my assumptions about conventional framing. Preserving hands, expression and physical space meant reconsidering how we approached coverage and intimacy, while the inherent beauty of the coastal exteriors encouraged us to embrace natural light and allow the environment to become part of the image.

"These choices were all connected. The language itself informed the way we framed the actors, while my own effort to learn BSL changed the way I communicated with the cast and crew. The more I engaged with the language at the centre of the film, the more I realised that it wasn’t something happening independently of the cinematography; it was helping to shape it."

DP Jonny Raja-Flint and 1st AC Teresa Garratty discuss the importance of Green Grass, a short film with a strong script that makes British Sign Language a central element of the storytelling.

Read more: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/jonny-raja-flint-and-teresa-garratty-green-grass/

“We're trying to tell stories in a way that you live them, where you want to forget where you are and just be encapsulat...
18/09/2026

“We're trying to tell stories in a way that you live them, where you want to forget where you are and just be encapsulated in a totally different reality.”

Hoyte van Hoytema ASC NSC FSF ventured into uncharted territory and new visual frontiers when making The Odyssey, Sir Christopher Nolan's ambitious epic and the first feature shot entirely on IMAX cameras. With each technological breakthrough—including creating a custom camera, blimp, lighting system and lenses—audiences were immersed deeper in Homer's timeless tale.

Read more on our website: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/hoyte-van-hoytema-asc-nsc-fsf-the-odyssey/

(Photos: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures)

“We often stayed close to our characters, and wider lenses allowed us to experience the city from their perspective rath...
17/09/2026

“We often stayed close to our characters, and wider lenses allowed us to experience the city from their perspective rather than observe it from a distance. The audience isn't watching characters move through Vegas. They're moving through Vegas alongside them. That balance between scale and intimacy lies at the heart of the episode.”

Tari Segal ASC received an Emmy nomination for her compelling cinematography on the Las Vegas-set Margo’s Got Money Troubles episode “Flamingos” – on our website, she explains how it came together: https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/tari-segal-asc-margos-got-money-troubles/

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